Poinsettia plant named ‘Duebravo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Duebravo’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and uniform plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; strong and vigorous roots; freely branching habit; large inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEBRAVO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duebravo’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create compact Poinsettia plants that root easilyand have attractive flower bract coloration.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in May, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number F-03-003, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofEuphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number E-16-018, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from withinthe progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Rheinberg, Germany in December, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince January, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duebravo’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duebravo’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and uniform plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Strong and vigorous roots.    -   4. Freely branching habit.    -   5. Large inflorescences with red-colored flower bracts.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in flower bract texture as plants of the new Poinsettiahave smoother and flatter flower bracts than plants of the female parentselection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in rooting habit as plants of the new Poinsettia havestronger and more vigorous roots than plants of the male parentselection. In addition, flower bracts of the new Poinsettia are darkerred in color than flower bracts of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Fiscor’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of thenew Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Fiscor’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of        ‘Fiscor’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had shorter internodes than        plants of ‘Fiscor’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Duebravo’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during thesummer in a glass-covered greenhouse and under environmental conditionsand cultural practices which approximate those generally used incommercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants,day and night temperatures averaged 22° C. and light levels were about4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages fortypical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in 12-cm containersand were pinched one time three weeks after planting the cuttings.Plants were 16 weeks old when the photograph and the detaileddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Duebravo’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number F-03-003, not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number E-16-018, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading            and uniform plant habit; broad inverted triangle, mounding;            large inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 35 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about six to seven lateral branches develop after            pinching. Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 11.7 cm. Width: About 8.3 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Lobed; dentate. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.            Texture, lower surface: Rugose, glabrous. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137A to 137B;            venation, close to 146B to 146C. Petiole: Length: About            6.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 187A to 187B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with flower bracts subtending the            cyathia; one inflorescence per lateral branch with            inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during the            autumn and winter under long nyctoperiod conditions;            inflorescence initiation and development can be induced            under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions; early            flowering habit, response time is about eight weeks.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about twelve weeks under            interior conditions.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 23 cm. Height (depth):            About 4.5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15. Length:            About 11.4 cm. Width: About 7.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; dentate. Texture,            upper surface: Glabrous; smooth, Texture, lower surface:            Glabrous; rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:            Developing bracts, upper surface: Close to 46A. Developing            bracts, lower surface: Close to 53B. Transitional bracts,            upper surface: Close to 46A. Transitional bracts, lower            surface: Close to 46A to 46B. Fully developed bracts, upper            surface: Close to 46A to 46B; venation, close to 46A to 46B;            color becoming closer to 46B with development. Fully            developed bracts, lower surface: Close to 46A to 46B;            venation, close to 46A to 46B; color becoming closer to 46C            to 46D with development. Bract petiole: Length: About            2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 53A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Length: About 8 mm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: Inner            surface: Close to 143C. Outer surface: Close to 143B. Color,            mature: Inner surface: Close to 143B. Outer surface: Close            to 143B to 143C. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: One.            Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Color, inner            surface: Close to 17A. Color, outer surface: Close to 17C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            ten. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close to            53A. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther            color: Close to 187A to 187B. Amount of pollen: Abundant.            Pollen color: Close to 9A. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium:            One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About 2 mm.            Style color: Close to 144A. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma            color: Close to 59A to 59B. Ovary color: Close to 144A.            Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about    40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Duebravo’as illustrated and described.